Page 26 of Suddenly Pregnant

“It’s okay,” she said. “I think now I just need a shower and to clear my head.” Hopefully buy some time before I have to say the words out loud. She lived on the other end of the world, was pregnant by a man who didn’t want a commitment with her, and had lost her father.

“Of course. I cleaned up your room upstairs.”

“I’ll go get the luggage in the rental car,” Jack said.

She climbed up the stairs before Poppy cornered her to ask more about Jack. She figured she’d have to tell the truth at some point, so she might as well wait until Kira was present so she did it all at once.

“You are what?” Kira asked, her hazel eyes widening like she just heard a crazy conspiracy theory.

Billie sucked in a breath. She always put her nose in her cousins’ business in the past, so not to expect the same was not only unfair, it was unrealistic. Still. When Kira had married her handsome French husband, she’d had secrets of her own. Same for Poppy, who was engaged to her former boss! Still, Billie was the only one who managed to get pregnant, before any commitment. Actually, with a guy who told her straight away there would never be any commitment. “Pregnant,” she repeated, looking at both of them.

Poppy flushed, her cheeks red matching the I-Love-Lucy’s Lucile Ball shade she had on her long, luscious hair. “Wow. I thought you reviving your boss from the dead and having an affair with him was enough tea.”

“You didn’t tell me he was so handsome,” Kira nudged Poppy.

“I didn’t have much time, you were buying food,” Poppy said.

“You texted her right after we arrived?” Billie said, shaking her head.

“Of course,” Poppy said.

“You have to understand us, Billie. You always joked about guys but we never saw you with anyone. Then you come home, with this hot guy who’s also your boss, and pregnant. We’re happy for you, it’s just a lot to process at once,” Kira said gently.

Billie stretched her legs. She sat on her childhood bed, a full size that seemed bigger once. Now, especially after having been in Jack’s enormous bed, this one seemed tiny. She only imagined what Jack would look like in her bed—he stayed downstairs, working on his computer.

“We want to make sure you’ll be okay,” Poppy said. “Especially with a baby on the way.”

Okay. Why did everyone use that word? She wouldn’t be okay, would she? She wasn’t okay now, and fuck, she wouldn’t be okay after Jack left her for good. But she didn’t want to think about it, to reflect and to mentally hurt herself with the possibilities. “I’m figuring things out. I appreciate you guys being worried about me. And coming here. I missed you two so much.”

“We missed you too,” Kira said. “Coming to Hope Springs doesn’t feel the same unless the three of us are together.”

They shared an amazing bond, with each of them dealing with their problems growing up. Kira’s complicated relationship with her sister who was the family’s favorite. Poppy dealing with her alcoholic mother and raising her twin brothers. And her.

The girl who felt like an orphan so many times—by a mom who was physically absent and a father who had been emotionally absent.

Now, what did she have? Who did she have?

Her cousins lived in NYC. Her parents were both gone. She crossed her arms, then braced herself. “I have a lot to figure out,” she said out loud.

“Yes, of course. Since you were out of the country, we called a few extended family members and friends to let them know about your father’s passing. We started making the arrangements for the funeral and the celebration of life, but of course, feel free to see if you agree,” Kira said, with her usual efficiency. Her cousin ran a successful temp agency, and it was no wonder she was so good at it. Kira got the job done, always. “Of course you don’t need to make the decision now, but there’s also this house. It’s paid off. At some point, start thinking if you want to sell it or keep it,” she said, then like she caught herself for being too detail oriented, she sat next to her on the bed and squeezed her hand. “Sorry, taking care of business is my love language and sometimes I overdo it.”

“And we’re all thankful for it,” Poppy said, then shot Billie an apologetic glance. “Not to add to your stress, but my mom has said she’s able to help with whatever you need. She’s already called the pastor of the church your dad attended and asked him to speak at the funeral.”

“Aunt Peggy is on the ball,” Kira said.

A glint of hope flickered in Poppy’s eyes. “She’s also been alcohol free for two months. So she’s been trying to keep busy.”

A small surge of joy traveled through Billie, alleviating some of her heartache. She’d heard Poppy talk about her mother so many times growing up. Aunt Peggy was a character, funny and quirky, yet she never admitted she had a problem. She managed to drink heavily after work but still keep her jobs, even if her personal relationships got short-changed. “Aww Poppy, that’s wonderful. Why didn’t you tell me?” Billie asked.

Poppy waved her off. “She’s going to meetings. I just didn’t want to jinx it.”

Kira gently touched Poppy’s shoulder. “I understand.”

“It’s nice to have her back… whatever version of her I get,” Poppy said, tears brimming her eyes. But she blinked them back and wiped the single stray one off the corner of her eye.

Billie watched her cousin, always so wonderful. Hopefully Aunt Peggy would stay on the right path this time.

The conversation she shared with Jack in the jet came to mind, about his ex.

Did he still have feelings for her? She’d pondered about asking, but decided not to, afraid of the answer. A chilly sensation spilled into her stomach, reminding her how fragile her current relationship with him was.

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